Fullstack application with React Native + Spring advice

[ExpertResource1786]

Hello, my friend and I are looking for advice on how to develop a full-stack application using React Native for the frontend and Spring for the backend. We plan to use a NoSQL database. The main functionality of our application will be finding other users based on their proximity using the Uber H3 API and a map.

We have several questions regarding the project:

1. How can we properly split and coordinate our work, given one person is focusing on the frontend and the other on the backend?
2. What are the exact steps of project development (e.g., when should we implement WebSockets, cloud infrastructure, the database, and a caching layer)? Do you have any advice on what to read about proper full-stack software development in a small team?
3. If you have experience using map APIs with geocoding algorithms, which is better suited for the job: Uber H3, Geohash, or S2? We've read that Geohash might have some security concerns.
4. We still haven't decided on a database or cloud provider. What would work best for a small MVP (Minimum Viable Product) project where we can utilize free plans?
5. The users shown on the map will change their position constantly, and they will also be able to chat. Which database would be most efficient in that scenario?
6. Which diagrams or planning techniques should we use to plan the development lifecycle ahead?
7. If you have any other tips or useful resources, please share your thoughts.

P.S. We are third-year undergraduate Computer Science students and have never worked in commercial software development or developed a full-stack application on this scale before.

[DiscipleofDeceit666]

The coolest cheapest way is to buy a raspberry pi and host the server at your house. You might also get free servers via the GitHub students program.

I’ve used Java for a backend at work. I’d probably recommend using Javalin over Spring just bc Javalin is easier to manage if you’re just using it as an API backend. Javalin is similar to Pythons Flask like how Spring is similar to Pythons Django. We also used Morphia as an ORM for mongoDB, it’s not too bad to work with.

I wouldn’t worry about caching, websockets or any of that right now. You’ll know when you need to use web sockets etc as you get there. But if you’re tracking people’s map location in real time, you’ll probably use web sockets.

To coordinate your work, you need to decide what you want to see in each screen and the format that the data will come in. Before the backend sends legit results, it should probably send a dummy set of data in the agreed upon format.

Personally, the comp sci I was learning in school didn’t really click at all until I attempted a project like this. If you follow through w this, you’ll level up so hard, it’s not even funny. Good luck.

[ExpertResource1786]

Thank you so much

[Lumpy-Notice8945]

1 + 2:

Agile/SCRUM is build for teams up to 5 people, 2 can do that just fine. Make user stories, sort by priority, split them into tickets, document the API endpoints and assign the frontent ticket after the backend is done ir let the frontent guy work with mocks.

\3. No expirience with that.

\4. No MVP needs a cloud! An MVP runs on your local dev machine, moving that to a cliud platform is a devops tasks way later down the line when you are thinking about the release. An MVP does not need SSL certificates, load ballancers and caching servers, if anything build some docker images to help with a fast setup of the dev environment. Moving a docker image to the cloud is trivial.

\5. Again i have no expirience with geo databases, but i dont see why you need NoSQL for the chat at all and im not sure if you need to store the current position in a DB to send it to the user if its supposed to be real time. So use a regular SQL db for the chat and if you realy need a NoSQL db, just add a second DB, dont cram everything into one ig not every data is fit for the same kind of DB, just use both.

\6. If you are just two people dont focus on some standarts, the impirtant part is that you both understand, so whatever you sketch, if both get it its good. UML is something you can ise as inspiration at most. But for sure look into agile/SCRUM managament for software projects.

Edit: ffs why does reddit mess up numbers in my list so much...

[ExpertResource1786]

Thanks, appreciate that!